Friday, Jun. 05, 2009

Fairview Salute to the Arts show canceled

The 22nd annual Midwest Salute to the Arts scheduled for August in Fairview Heights has been canceled.

No specific reason was listed for canceling the event, which had been scheduled for Aug. 28-30.

"The cancellation is due to a number of factors beyond the control of the volunteer staff and are too great to overcome at this time," the event's Web site states. "It is the hope and desire of the members of Arts Council, many of whom had spent numerous years working on the show, to work with great resolve to get the event back on track for next year."

Linda Vander Pluym, who was helping to organize this year's event, said the arts council held a special meeting Monday and decided to cancel.

"We voted not to continue it for various reasons, mostly the economy," she said.

She said council members had visited various art fairs and noticed that attendance was down. "We took it into consideration, mostly for the artists ... We just felt it was in the best interest not to pursue it.

"I am very sad," Vander Pluym said. "I've been involved in it for 13 years. It's a little bit of a letdown."

Kathryn Scullin, a metal smith from St. Louis, won first place in the jewelry category in 2007.

She said she felt horrible about the cancellation "because they had such a great turnout the last couple of years. It was so well done; it was impeccable. I have nothing to say bad about the event at all. ... I'm just saddened because it is such a nice show. But I hope whatever the problem is, it can be fixed."

Lydia Cruez, who worked on the committee to recruit volunteers for art show, said the event was having difficulty attracting volunteers and restaurants.

"I heard that it would be canceled and, sad to say, it was getting hard this year to recruit volunteers," Cruez said. "I was also told it was getting more difficult to get the local restaurants to cooperate with coming out to the art fair.

"There were several reasons why. It just wasn't falling in place -- the volunteers and the restaurants, you've got to have both," she said.

Alderwoman Linda Arnold said she received a memo at an aldermanic meeting Tuesday that the show was canceled.

"I was just heartbroken," she said. "It's a really big deal to lose that for our city."

Arnold said she hated for Fairview Heights to lose the revenue and momentum the event brings. "I think it's a blow to the city and I hate to see that happen," she said.

The Web site now refers to the 2010 show for those interested in participating as artists, entertainers, volunteers and in other capacities.